Benjamin Witte (of Recess): Creative Startup Founder Who Canned A Feeling

unproductive by daydreamers

Benjamin Witte is a creative entrepreneur, and founder of Recess, the CBD-infused sparkling water brand whose mission is much bigger than selling drinks; it’s to help people feel more calm, cool and collected. You might know them from their Instagram feed, which has a cult-like following and rocketed to success only two years after launch.

But, our chat with Ben isn’t just about taking Recess from a tiny idea to a full-fledged company with no prior knowledge of the CBD or CPG industries (although we do dive into some behind-the-scenes strategy around their creative marketing decisions). We’ll dissect Ben’s childhood and early career - when he knew he was a creative entrepreneur at heart, but was constantly being told he was “unmanageable” - and exactly what he did about it.

This conversation is for any budding entrepreneur, or human, really, who feels like they never necessarily “fit in” any of their normal jobs, but didn’t know what path to take. Ben shows us how being an outsider could be your greatest superpower.

Some stuff we also cover:

• What Ben’s early career in San Francisco’s startup scene taught him about starting a company - and why no one knows what they’re doing
  
• Ben’s “wrong turns” in his career, and how they led him to test out a bunch of different business ideas before starting Recess
  
• How Recess was built on a brand and a mission that’s much bigger than selling one product - and why it’s important to think big as an entrepreneur
  
• What creativity means to Ben, and how he applies this risk-taking mindset to Recess’ marketing strategy, his hiring decisions and growth plan for years to come
  
• Why being an outsider to any industry can be your superpower - and how to think about starting a company that aligns with your mission
  

Resources you might want to check out:

• Recess’ Instagram: @takearecess
  
• Website: Takearecess.com
  

As always, this podcast is sponsored by:

Daydreamers. At Daydreamers, we’re redefining how we all spend our free time and making space for adults to build creative hobbies. We just launched our first product. Take a peek + get on the waitlist to snag your own at: daydreamerspace.com.